Sioux City, IA - The Sioux City Explorers won their seventh game in a row by beating the Winnipeg Goldeyes on Monday night 5-4.

Fresh off an undefeated six game road trip the Explorers came into the contest looking to notch their seventh straight win and nine out of their last 10. The Goldeyes actually struck first as Dave Sappelt hit his second home run of the year in the top of the first inning off of X’s starter Keith Picht and give Winnipeg a 1-0 lead.

The X’s would take the lead in the bottom of the second as Nate Samson lead off with a single. Two batters later though there were two outs in the inning and Dexture McCall was able to work a walk. Dylan Kelly then came up clutch with a two out single to bring home Samson and tie the game. Daniel Jackson did the same to bring home McCall and give Sioux City a 2-1 lead that they wouldn’t relinquish.

Sioux City added two more in the fourth when Jay Baum and McCall reached base with one out. Kelly then singled home Baum. Kelly tried to get to second base on the play as the throw from the outfield went to second to cut him off it glanced off of the shortstop’s glove and bounced away allowing McCall who had gone from first to third on the play to score easily and Sioux City had a 4-1 lead.

Another run in the fifth on a Jose Sermo RBI single scoring Michael Lang who reached on a one out walk made it 5-1 X’s.

But Winnipeg would mount a comeback. As in the sixth Josh Romanski who reached base four times in the game walked to lead off the inning. Tommy Mendonca then singled and Andrew Sohn hit a single to left which scored Romanski but the ball skipped past Durango in left field and Mendonca was able to score from first on the error cutting the X’s lead to 5-3. Tyler Fallwell was called out of the pen for Sioux City and was able to get Josh Mazzola to line out into an inning ending double play with a runner at third base.

In the seventh Winnipeg would load the bases with only one out. Parker Markel was called on for the X’s to face Reggie Abercrombie. Abercrombie hit a long single that one hopped the left field wall. Despite what would usually seem as a double on a ball hit off the wall the Goldeyes were only able to bring home one run. Parker Markel then struck out Mendonca and got Sohn to ground into a fielders choice to end the inning. Keeping the X’s lead after 7 intact at 5-4.

Parker Markel in this one would pitch a scoreless 1.2 innings out of the bullpen allowing just the one hit to Abercrombie and striking out 4.

Eric Karch was called on in the ninth to shut down the Fish and did so setting them down in order finishing off the game with a strikeout notching his sixth save of the year.

Sioux City and Winnipeg will play game two on Tuesday night with the righty and American Association Pitcher of the Month for June, Justin Vernia taking the bump, and the Goldeyes will announce their starter prior to the game with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 and fireworks to immediately follow the game.